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The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mrs Rita Lau, co-chaired the third meeting of the "Steering Group on Shenzhen/Hong Kong Co-operation in Innovation and Technology" with Science and Technology Adviser to the Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal Government and Chairman of the Shenzhen side, Mr Liu Yingli, in Shenzhen today (March 31).
The two sides reviewed in the meeting the items of co-operation now under way and agreed on the action plan under the "Shenzhen/Hong Kong Innovation Circle" for the coming three years. The action plan comprises 24 co-operation projects under three categories: Innovation Foundation (provision of laboratories or facilities), Service Platform (sharing of technological resources and provision of technological services platform) and Major research and development (R&D) Projects (co-operation in particular technological areas, such as solar battery). Details on implementation of the projects will be confirmed by responsible institutions afterwards.
"The action plan covers projects in various fields including biomedical, integrated circuit, radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, solar battery and industrial design; while co-operating units comprise government departments, universities, R&D institutions and community organisations from both sides. It underlines the extensive support for the development of the 'Shenzhen/Hong Kong Innovation Circle' from the R&D sectors of both places", Mrs Lau said.
Noting that the SAR Government attached great importance to the development of the "Shenzhen/Hong Kong Innovation Circle", Mrs Lau said the Chief Executive in his Policy Address last October and the Financial Secretary in the Budget in February had both highlighted the collaboration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in technology. They had also expressed the hope that the two sides would continue to use the collaborative mode with DuPont in photovoltaic solar energy to optimise the functions of the "Shenzhen/Hong Kong Innovation Circle".
She said that the collaboration under "Shenzhen/Hong Kong Innovation Circle" was also in line with the direction to promote innovation and technology as set out in the "Outline of the Plan for the Reform and Development of the Pearl River Delta".
"To assemble the resource advantages of the two sides and promote technological co-operation between the Mainland and other parts of the world, we will continue to join with Shenzhen to attract more overseas enterprises to conduct R&D projects in Hong Kong."
Shenzhen and Hong Kong signed the co-operation agreement on the "Shenzhen/Hong Kong Innovation Circle" in May 2007. The steering group is an important platform for promoting communication, exchange and collaboration in innovation and technology between the two sides. Since the signing of the co-operation agreement, the two sides have launched comprehensive co-operation in innovation and technology, in particular joint funding for collaborative R&D projects. The aim is to enhance the competitiveness of the industries of both sides by encouraging co-operation between their R&D institutions and industries.
Four projects were jointly funded in 2007 and the number increased to eight in 2008. The funding for the 12 projects amounted to $73 million, covering electric vehicle technology, core technologies for batteries, RFID applications, rapid bioassay technologies as well as energy saving and environmental protection technologies.
Meanwhile, as the first major project under the frame of the "Shenzhen/Hong Kong Innovation Circle", the Shenzhen and Hong Kong authorities successfully invited DuPont to set up its global photovoltaic solar energy business headquarters and R&D centre in the Hong Kong Science Park last year, as well as a related manufacturing base in Shenzhen. The Dupont R&D centre in the Science Park was opened on March 20 and has already begun discussing further co-operation with the Nano and Advanced Materials Institution (NAMI) in Hong Kong.
Mrs Lau also took the chance to visit three Hong Kong-funded high technology enterprises in Shenzhen to see their development in both R&D and production, the latest market situation and strategy in the face of the financial tsunami.
Members of the Hong Kong side accompanying Mrs Lau to the meeting today included Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Technology), Mr Duncan Pescod; Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Mr Eddy Chan; and officials from the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Office of the Telecommunications Authority and the Intellectual Property Department.
Mainland members accompanying the Chairman of the Shenzhen side, Mr Liu Yingli, comprised Deputy Secretary General of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, Mr Gao Guohui; Director-General of Shenzhen Bureau of Technology and Information, Mr Liu Zhongpu and other officials.
Ends/Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:01
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